Valve mechanism



April 23, 1935. I 1 CLAPP 1,998,444

VALVE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 29, 1927 &

Patented Apr. 23, 1935 VALVEMECHANISM :J Lewis 'Clapp, 'Glaremont, H. assignor to i. i Sullivan *MachineryCompany, a corporation of:

Massachusetts invention'relates to valve mechanisms;

I An object of my'invention is to-provide an mproved valve mechanism. A more'specific ob- Ject of my invention is to provide an improved and simplified valve mechanism particularly adapted for use in small air compressors,'though of general application. A further object of my invention; is to provide an improved valve mechanism comprising a minimum number of parts and constituting a self-contained unit which may be used interchangeably as an inlet or as a discharge valve. Other objects andadvantages of the invention will hereinafter "appear; 1

In the accompanying drawing, in whichfor purposes of illustration I have shown oneembodiment which my invention may assume in practice: Fig. 1* is acentral verticalsection throughthe upper end of a compressor cylinder and the valve mechanism therefor, the latterbeing constructed in accordance with the illustrative embodiment ofthis invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through a follower member. V Fig. 3 is abottom view of the follower member. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section through a valve seat member. Fig. 51s a central'vertical section through a cover member.

Fig. 6' is a top view of thestructure shown in Fig. 5, while I v 1 Fig. '7 is a bottom viewof the same structure. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a valve element, and i p I Fig. 9 isa-plan view ofa spring element.. I

Referring to the drawing, I represents a compressor cylinder member upon which a valve mechanism; generally designated 2gis mounted. Herein the valve mechanism comprises a pair of chambers 3 and 4, the chamber 3 being an inlet chamber'fand communicating with an inlet passage 5, and the chamber 4 being a discharge chamber and communicating with a discharge passage 6. In each of these chambers a shoulder 1 is formed upon which a valve mechanism,-hereinafter described, may be seated. To hold the valve mechanism in position upon the shoulders, follower members 8 are employed, the follower members having a series of depending feet 9 adapted to engage the valve units and hold them in position. To maintain the follower members 8 in place and to close the end of the chambers 3, the latter have threadedly secured therein closure members In through which screw members H extend. The screw members ll engage the upper ends of the follower members, and may be Application ma ma, 1927, Serial No. 2 43. 428: f; I

' counts: (01. 2 51-4 19) lockedin positionby lock nuts-l2. The valve unit'sfor inlet anddis'charge purposes are the same, structurally, inthe illustrative embodiment ofthe invention; and these are designated, in-the case of the inlet valve, l4 and in the case of the discharge-valve 15. Each valve unit comprises a'se'at member l6 and a cover or guard member l1.- The seat member comprises arelatively *shallow cylindrical body portion l8 from whose upper and (Fig.4) a peripheral'flange l9 projects. The seat member ls'traversed by a bore 20 opening at the'end'of the body member fromw'hich 'the flange l9 projectsdnto a-larger bore 2|. The bore 2| at its'innermost end is provided with an undercut recess 22*fproviding a shoulder 23." 'An upstanding 'ri'm' 24" surrounding the inner end or; thebore 2Dj'provides a valve seat 25.- The guard or cover member is alsoige'nally cylindricalin outlineand comprises a'thin body portion 26 having' a ;peripheral flange 21 of substantiallythe'same'gdiameter as the flange 19. From the lower end surface of the member [1, asviewed in'Fig. '5,"a series of feet 28 pro!- ject, these being spaced 120, apart, andhaving their outer" sides spaced ff1'Om the center of the cover member a distance approximately equal to thev radius "of' the recessf2l the outer side of each fo'ot beingla curved surface coaxial with the cover 'me nber, and the: inner" side 32: being likewise a curved surface coaxial therewith. Each of'these feet" is split, as at'29jto provide a re-' silient outer portion, having a locking boss 3| at its lowerextremity which is adapted to engagein the recess 22 to hold the parts of the cage mechanismto efihers inner-"surfaces 32 of the dependingl feet 28 constitute valve guiding surfaces; and are struck on substantially the same radius'as the radius .of'th'e outerfisurface'foi the valve seat projecting rim 24.. Arc'uate passages 33 traverse .the' cover member ,Il and are dis; posed betweenlthe depending feet 28, these'pase sages constituting the discharge passages for the fluid passing beneath the valve and flowing outwardly between the feet 28 when the valve is raised. A flat, preferably resilient, preferably metallic, valve element 34 is adapted to cooperate with the valve seat 25; and to yieldingly maintain it in seated position, a transversely flexed resilient spring member 35 having upturned ends 36 is provided. The cover is recessed centrally as at 31.

In assembling a valve cage unit, the spring element and valve element are placed between the seat member and the guard member, and the feet of the guard member forced into the seat member until the yielding locking lips 3| engage in the recess 22. The parts are thus yieldingly held assembled in a manner adequate to permit the ready handling of the parts, but permitting their ready separation by inserting a screw driver or other wedge at the point between the flanges 21 and I9. All additional holding means are thereby avoided and a true two piece cage element is obtained; When in use, the parts are positively forced together between the shoulder I and the feet 9 of the follwer 8; and a gasket3l may be used, if desired, between the valve cage flange and the shoulder 1. The same valveunit may obviously be used both as an inlet and as a discharge valve, requiring merely inversion to permit this result. At the right hand side of Fig. 1 a unit of the character described is shown in use as an inlet unit, while at theleft, one is,

shown in use as a discharge unit.

The mode of operation of the mechanism so far described is obvious.v Assume the compressor piston (which is not shownlto be upon its suction stroke, air at atmospheric pressure entering through the inlet will unseat the valve 34 of the unit [4 against the pressure of its valve spring 35, and the air will then flow radially between the seat and the upper surface of the valve, and then out of the cage through the passages and into the cylinder bore. 0n the compression stroke of the compressor piston, the inlet valve will close and the discharge valve will be forced from its seat, and the air will flow radially and then through the passages 33 into the chamber 4. and through the discharge passage 6. a

From the foregoing description it will be evident that I have provided a very simple and convenient valve mechanism which comprises the minimum possible number of cage elements, and which is equally adaptable to use as an inlet or as a discharge valve, the parts being securely held together during handling and yet readily detachable, and when detached having no fastening means which must be removed with the possibility ofloss.

While I have in this applicationspeciflcally described one form which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims. f

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1

1. In combination, a seatelement having a port therein surrounded by a valve seat and having undercut shoulder, a cover element formed. with flow slots and having projecting resilient locking portions spaced inwardly from the side 01' "said element and arranged to cooperate with said shoulder, said cover element providing a guard surface, and a valve between saidelements.

2. A valve cage assembly comprising a seat element, a cover element formed with projecting valve guiding portions, and resilient means carried by said valve guiding portions and flexible relative thereto for holding said seat and cover elements assembled.

3. A valve cage assembly comprising a seat element, a cover element formed with projecting valve guiding portions, said seat element having portions cooperating with said guiding portions to prevent relative lateral displacement between said elements, and resilient means carried by said valve guiding portions for. holding said seat and cover elements assembled.

'4. A valve mechanism comprising seat and guard formingelements, one of which provides an undercut shoulder and the other of which provides a plurality'of projections each providing relatively inflexible valve guiding portions and, radially spaced from the latter, resilient holding means arranged to cooperate with said undercut shoulder, and a; valve'disposed between said seat and guard and guided by said guiding portions.

A valve cage assembly comprising a seat element and'a cover element, one of said elements having a portion receivable within the other and said portion providing a rigid valve guiding portion and yielding holding means.

6. A valve cage assembly comprising a seat element and a cover element, one of said elements having a portion receivable within the other and said portion providing a rigid valve guiding portion and yielding, radially outwardly acting holding means.

'7. A valve cage assembly comprising substantially rigid seat and cover'members and means for holding the same in assembled relation comprising an undercut'shoulder associated with one of said members a plurality of rigid valve guiding portions carried by saidother member, and resilient locking devices arranged to cooperate with said undercut shoulder and carried by at least two of said valve guiding portions and movable substantially radially towards and from their supporting guiding portions.

8. A valve cage assembly comprising a seat element and a cover element, one of said elements having a portion receivable within the other and said portion providing a rigid valve guiding portion and, radially'spaced from said valve guiding portion, yielding holding means.

9. A valve cage assembly comprising a seat element and a cover element, one of said elements having a portion receivablewithin the other and said portion providing a rigid valve guiding portion and yielding, radially outwardly acting holding means radially spaced from said rigid valve guiding portion. LEWIS J. CLAPP. 

